page_title: Last Supper in Christian art
section_title: The Betrayal
hierarchical_section_title: Last Supper in Christian art / Major scenes / The Betrayal
caption_attribution_description: Heilig-Blut-Altar in St.Jakob in Rothenburg. Letztes Abendmahl: Jesus weist Judas zurück
context_page_description: The Last Supper of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles has been a popular subject in Christian art, often as part of a cycle showing the Life of Christ. Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art date back to early Christianity and can be seen in the Catacombs of Rome.
  The Last Supper was depicted both in the Eastern and Western Churches. By the Renaissance, it was a favorite subject in Italian art. It was also one of the few subjects to be continued in Lutheran altarpieces for a few decades after the Protestant Reformation.
  There are two major scenes shown in depictions of the Last Supper: the dramatic announcement of the betrayal of Jesus, and the institution of the Eucharist. After the meal the further scenes of Jesus washing the feet of his apostles and the farewell of Jesus to his disciples are also sometimes depicted.
context_section_description: The first episode, much the most common in Western Medieval art, is the dramatic and dynamic moment of Jesus' announcement of his betrayal. In this the various reactions produced by the Apostles and the depictions of their emotions provide a rich subject for artistic exploration, following the text of Chapter 13 of the Gospel of John (21–29, a "sop" is a piece of bread dipped in sauce or wine):
  21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in the spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
  22 The disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
  23 There was at the table reclining in Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
  24 Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell [us] who it is of whom he speaketh.
  25 He leaning back, as he was, on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
  26 Jesus therefore answereth, He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he taketh and giveth it to Judas, [the son] of Simon Iscariot.
  27 And after the sop, then entered Satan into him. Jesus therefore saith unto him, What thou doest, do quickly.
  28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
  29 For some thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy what things we have need of for the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
  
  30 He then having received the sop went out straightway: and it was night.
  Especially in Eastern depictions, Judas may only be identifiable because he is stretching out his hand for the food, as the other apostles sit with hands out of sight, or because he lacks a halo. In the West he often has red hair.  Sometimes Judas takes the sop in his mouth directly from Jesus' hand, and when he is shown eating it a small devil may be shown next to or on it.  The betrayal scene may also be combined with the other episodes of the meal, sometimes with a second figure of Christ washing Peter's feet.
caption: Jesus hands Judas the sop, Tilman Riemenschneider, Holy Blood Altar, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, 1501–05
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